mcours2006

This is what happened today. Here's the graphic. I'm the Green dot. There were cars in front of me (Blue dot), and the offending driver behind me (Red dot).

INtersection.jpg

The light turns green. I follow the Blue cars in front of me, taking the middle of the lane. I usually do this until I reach the intersection, then move over to the right since there's a right lane after the intersection.

Today, as soon as we start moving the driver behind me (Red dot) goes onto the chevron area to the left to pass me, and does so before we reach the intersection. Here's the shot by shot:

We start to move:
Screen 1.jpg

There's she is overtaking on the left by the chevron area:
Screen 2.jpg

And there she goes:
Screen 3.jpg

What do make of this? I've done this route countless times. Drivers always stay behind me until I move out of the way to the right.

PortlandEddie

1. if it never happens don't worry about it.
2. Crazy drivers will get into accidents or get karma back at them so again don't think twice about it.

markjenn

Thanks for taking the time to document things so clearly.

I make it that the car driver was in a hurry and simply didn't want to stay behind you while you cleared the intersection. They viewed the chevron area as a reasonable passing lane. The pass was probably illegal, although things are never as clear cut as they seem in these situations as folks would lead you to believe.

I'd have to be riding there to be sure, but I probably would have moved right as soon as any large gap developed with the cars ahead - I don't see anything particularly hazardous about the situation that would have me demanding the entire lane through the intersection. (Or perhaps I would have filtered up to the front of the queue to wait for the light if there was reasonable space; I think sometimes it is best just to get to the head of an intersection if you can get out of the way of the cars quickly when the light changes.)

Having said all this, the car driver should have stayed behind you until you moved right and they could make a normal/safe pass.

- Mark

AlmostTrick

What to make of it?

This particular driver couldn't wait, and had to pass you asap. As long as she gave plenty of room and didn't cause anyone else to almost crash, I say no foul.

Maybe there was more to it than I can see?

volvostephen

I will say that the driver likely saw a bike and the only thought was - bike - have to pass bike. That's it. Have to pass. Doesn't matter what is happening or what is safe or legal. I had what would likely be a lovely lady cut me off very aggressively and very close. It was all at low speed - but I had taken the lane and it was a turning lane. I was about 25 feet from the stop when the lady passed and drove in front of me very sharply. I am sure she meant no harm. It was just - Bike.... have to pass..... intersection.... have to turn right..... (completely forgetting the bike was ever there). She scared the crap out of me and my heart was racing for the next hour - it was very close.

People do crazy stuff. What happened to you would have really ticked me off. Especially where it is. That road doesn't even really go anywhere - how could you be in a hurry there?

I had another guy honk at me for taking a lane near on on ramp to the QEW. He was trying to be a jerk and speed past others getting on to the highway. He was mad at me for limiting how much of a jerk he could be

mcours2006

I've had similar passes happen to me as well. Sometimes I'd get to confront them at a light. Never mean or harsh, but just letting them know that it was unnecessarily close. You know, an opportunity to educate. Last thing I want to do is piss them off if they didn't mean to, especially since I'm taking the same route every day.

I was at the same section one time and a gentleman passed me on the right side then cut in front of me before light. Took me by total surprise. I pulled next to him and told him this at the red light. Just said I don't expect anyone to pass me on the right side, and that it was not safe nor legal for him to do that. He apologized, and even offered for me to go ahead of him. I declined, of course.

Like you said, some people just don't like to follow bikes, even for a few seconds.

At that particular in the Google Maps picture the right hand land exits onto a major road way, so there are usually a long line of cars turning. Invariable there are cars that try to bypass this by going on the center where I'm travelling. I can see them in my mirror bearing down on me, and then just before the turn off they squeeze into the long line of cars waiting their turn to go. I just shake my head and think, jackass!

mcours2006

The whole idea of taking the lane is to keep drivers from passing you unsafely or closely. She missed that I guess, or just didn't care.

rumrunn6

unusual intersection. don't think we have any like that here. we do have some where that chevron lane is an additional left turn only lane

what is the road like before this spot? do two lanes have to merge into the one you're in? if so, seems weird two lanes merge for the intersection then go back to two lanes after the intersection. maybe they could paint lines so ppl maintain both lanes thru the intersection cuz it looks like there's a little jog to the right (not a straight shot)

must be a good reason for that design, maybe there used to be traffic "incidents" that this design is trying to prevent. maybe it was exactly stuff like this, but not necessarily involving a bike

gregf83 

Maybe the pictures weren’t clear but I didn’t see an unsafe or close pass. It looked like a safe low speed pass. I would likely have just filtered up to the front if there was room and moved off to the right in the intersection. Someone passing on the left on that road wouldn’t bother me at all.

BobbyG

This doesn't appear to have been a dangerous situation, but we can still learn from it.

mcours2006 says he has done this route countless times (taking the lane) and this was unusual and unexpected.

This illustrates two things...

One; expect the unexpected. Always look for an "out", an escape, even if it's hopping the curb. Fortunately one was not needed here.

Two; "Taking the lane" must work, at least at this intersection. With a full-lane width of empty space to the left, it would be easy and relatively safe (although wrong) for a car to pass on the left, as the pictured vehicle did...and yet this was an unusual, isolated case.

Expect the unexpected. See, you didn't expect me to repeat that.

One other thing I take away from this is that this bothered, or weighed on mcours enough to review his ride video, grab frames and share it with bikeforums. The question is why? I am not asking in an attempt to shame, because I totally understand it, and have myself reviewed my ride videos after an unexpected incident...although usually more perilous.

It certainly doesn't hurt to attempt a little self-reflection and learn about our attitudes.

Was it to help remind others that anything can happen?

Was it to show how he was wronged?

Even if those motivations are unclear, could it simply be to get his head around it?

Is it good to hang on to incidence like this? (I think, in some cases, yes.)

Just reflect for a minute on your own attitudes and similar occurences...it may lead to safer riding.

mcours2006

Thanks for your insights, BobbyG. I appreciate it.

What's the purpose of posting this? Just to get your take on the incident, and whether you think it reasonable to have someone pass in this manner, even though I've taken every measure to prevent it by taking the lane, even on the left side of the lane.

We get wronged all the time by motorists, whether it's a close pass, a near-hook, or whatever. I don't think twice about it because in most cases I've anticipated it, either seeing it coming in my mirror or just knowing driver tendencies at a particular intersection. This one was unexpected, which is why I posted it. But like you said, expect the unexpected. That ought to be the take-away from this.

mcours2006

Not necessarily close or unsafe, but irksome, as it was unexpected. As motorists and cyclists all we're hoping is that people ride and drive predictably.

As for low speed, no, she floored the throttle when she was going by. You could even hear it over the wind noise on the video.

Filtering through to the front would have been an option, but it something that I rarely do anymore. My thought is that if I am expected to be treated like a vehicle that has equal right to the lane then I should behave like a vehicle by taking up the lane, not cheat the queue by filtering up. Doesn't mean I never do it, but I usually don't.

mcours2006

Here's the full intersection:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Mur...!4d-79.3845006

Two lanes prior to the intersection. The right one goes to a right turn exit lane. Most cars are here. The left lane splits into a straight-through lane where I am and a left turn lane. Fewest number of cars are going straight through.

Depending on the time of afternoon the line up for the right turn is sometimes quite long. I get into the left through lane as soon as the traffic backs up. It's maybe 150-200 m before the light itself. If there is no line on the right turn lane I will get in from around 100 out.

esther-L

Definitely illegal, and irksome. Fortunately the driver waited until entirely passing you before moving right.

Sometimes I handle my emotion after these sort of incidents by typing them into the website for reporting aggressive driving, and then then erasing the input.

I don't filter at traffic signals - illegal in my U.S. state. I don't live where there are short blocks with lots of lights, so filtering past a stopped motor vehicle would only lead to the driver needing to pass me.